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Thursday, November 12, 2026Nov 12

Kevin Hayes scores first goal with Jets in victory over Predators

Winnipeg Jets goaltender Laurent Brossoit makes the save on a shot from the Nashville Predators' Rocco Grimaldi during Friday's game in Winnipeg.
Winnipeg Jets goaltender Laurent Brossoit makes the save on a shot from the Nashville Predators' Rocco Grimaldi during Friday's game in Winnipeg. Winnipeg Jets goaltender Laurent Brossoit makes the save on a shot from the Nashville Predators' Rocco Grimaldi during Friday's game in Winnipeg.
photo Winnipeg Jets goaltender Laurent Brossoit makes the save on a shot from the Nashville Predators’ Rocco Grimaldi (23) as the Jets’ Tyler Myers tries to check him during the third period of Friday’s game in Winnipeg.

WINNIPEG, Manitoba – Kevin Hayes’ first goal with the Winnipeg Jets was far from smooth or pretty.

It certainly got the job done, though.

Hayes scored late in the third period of his second game with the team after being acquired from the New York Rangers earlier this week, and he added two assists as the Jets erased a two-goal deficit to beat the Nashville Predators 5-3 Friday night.

“It wasn’t the nicest goal, but I’ll take it,” Hayes said. “We’re in that final stretch here where we need to figure out what kind of team we’re going to be going into the playoffs. And going down 2-0 and battling back, I thought we (dealt with) some pretty good adversity there.”

Mark Schiefele and Blake Wheeler also had a goal and two assists apiece, and Kyle Connor and Tyler Myers also scored for Winnipeg. The Jets moved ahead of Nashville and atop the Central Division standings with the victory.